Congress had been working on a permanent SGR repeal but was unable to come up with a way to pay for the bill. Complicating the issue was the early retirement of Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), who chaired the committee that oversaw Medicare.

A long list of physician groups -- including the American Medical Association, the American College of Physicians, the American College of Surgeons, and the Alliance of Specialty Medicine -- opposed the 12-month SGR patch, saying it would derail efforts to permanently kill the SGR.

Stuck in political strife, doctor groups are calling lawmakers' bluff, saying they are willing to take the 24% cuts under the SGR. This will likely force some practices to close down or stop seeing Medicare patients, and then force Congress to make a decision on how to pay for a full repeal.

But the bill the Senate passed Monday does more than simply delay the SGR's planned cuts, including:

Delays till Oct. 1, 2015, the switch to ICD-10

Provides a 0.5% Medicare pay bump over that 12-month period

Revalues certain physician payment codes

Creates a program designed to promote proper use of diagnostic tests and treatments and discourage their overuse

Authorizes a multistate pilot program designed to raise standards for mental health services and improve integration of care

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